For example, according to JP 2005-340188 A, granulated particles for an anode and granulated particles for a cathode are prepared. The granulated particles for an anode are provided by binding active material-containing particles with a binder containing conductive assistant particles. The granulated particles for a cathode are also provided by binding active material-containing particles with a binder containing conductive assistant particles. The granulated particles are stacked on anode and cathode collectors, and the granulated particles stacked on the collectors are hot-rolled, thus providing active material layers on the anode and cathode collectors. More specifically, according to JP 2005-340188 A, the granulated particles (powder) are supplied onto the collectors, and layers of the granulated particles on the collectors are hot-rolled by heating the layers of the granulated particles and passing the collectors and the layers of the granulated particles between rotating rollers.
For example, JP 2010-225291 A discloses an embodiment in which positive and negative electrode sheets are provided as strip-shaped electrode sheets, and an active material layer is provided along the longitudinal direction of each electrode sheet. In this embodiment, an exposed portion where a collector is exposed extends along widthwise one end of each electrode sheet. The active material layer is provided on each electrode sheet except the exposed portion such that the active material layer extends in the longitudinal direction of each electrode sheet along the widthwise opposite end thereof. The exposed portion is a portion where no active material layer is provided, and may thus be referred to as an “active material layer-absent portion”. A region of a collector foil where no active material layer is provided (i.e., a region of a collector foil defined as the exposed portion) may be referred to as an “active material layer-absent region”.